On the Mardi Himal Trek, the tea house is your home for the night: part hotel, part restaurant, part social club. Each stop along the ridge has its own character, from the busy village feel of Pitam Deurali to the quiet clearing of Forest Camp and the windswept outpost of High Camp. Knowing what each stop offers helps you plan your itinerary, set expectations and make the most of every evening.
This guide walks through the tea house stops on the Mardi Himal route in order, describing the lodges, rooms, facilities, views and atmosphere at each. For a general introduction to food and lodging on the trek, see our food and accommodation guide.
How Mardi Himal Tea Houses Work
Tea houses on the Mardi Himal route are small, family-run lodges. Each typically has a row of simple twin bedrooms, a dining room with a stove, a kitchen, and a separate block of toilets and a shower. Rooms are inexpensive because lodge owners earn their living mainly from food, so it is expected that you eat dinner and breakfast where you sleep. Most lodges were built in the last decade or so as the route grew in popularity, and they are generally clean and well maintained, though simple.
As you climb, lodges become fewer and more basic, because everything must be carried up by porters or mules. Prices rise with altitude for the same reason. On our treks, your guide chooses and books lodges, often ones they know well, and orders food with you each evening.
Kande and Australian Camp
Most itineraries do not stay overnight at Kande or Australian Camp, but both have lodges. Australian Camp, on a grassy meadow about an hour or so above Kande, is a popular overnight stop for day hikers and short-trek visitors from Pokhara, with superb sunrise views of the Annapurna range. It has several lodges and a lively, open feel. If you start late or want a very gentle first day, staying here is an option. See Australian Camp on the Mardi Himal Trek.
Pothana
Pothana, just beyond Australian Camp, has a cluster of lodges and the conservation area checkpoint. It sits on a forested ridge with occasional mountain views. Few Mardi Himal itineraries stop here overnight, but it is a pleasant place for tea or lunch on the first day. See Pothana village.
Pitam Deurali (about 2,100 m)
Pitam Deurali is the usual first night on the trek. It sits where the Mardi Himal route branches north from the trail toward Landruk, and it has several lodges, making it one of the better-equipped stops. Some lodges here have rooms with attached bathrooms, hot showers, charging and often mobile signal. On clear evenings and mornings, there are views toward the Annapurna range and Machapuchare.
Because it is relatively low, Pitam Deurali is comfortable in most seasons, and nights are mild compared with the camps above. It is a good place to organise your gear, charge devices and get a solid night's sleep before the long forest day. See Pitam Deurali: your first night.
Forest Camp (about 2,600 m)
Forest Camp, sometimes called Kokar, sits in a clearing in the heart of the rhododendron and oak forest. It has a small cluster of lodges surrounded by tall trees, giving it a sheltered, peaceful atmosphere. There are no big mountain views from the lodges themselves, but the forest setting is lovely, especially in spring when the rhododendrons bloom.
Facilities are simpler than at Pitam Deurali: shared toilets, hot showers for a fee at most lodges, and charging. Mobile signal is limited. Forest Camp is the overnight stop on longer itineraries, including our 9-day and 7-day treks, and it breaks the climb to High Camp into more manageable days. See Forest Camp on the Mardi Himal Trek.
Rest Camp
A short walk above Forest Camp, Rest Camp is a small, quiet stop with only a lodge or two. It is useful as a tea or lunch stop, or as an alternative overnight if Forest Camp is busy. See Rest Camp: the quiet stop.
Low Camp (about 2,970 m)
Low Camp is where the forest opens up and the views begin in earnest. It has several lodges on a small shoulder of the ridge, with Machapuchare rising directly ahead. Sunset here is one of the highlights of the trek, when the Fishtail peak turns gold and pink above the forest. Low Camp is the overnight stop on the 5-day and 3-day itineraries, and many longer itineraries return here after the Base Camp hike.
Facilities include shared toilets, hot showers at most lodges for a fee, and charging. Mobile signal is patchy. At nearly 3,000 meters, nights are cold for most of the year, so a warm sleeping bag helps. See Low Camp: lodges, views and overnight tips.
Badal Danda (about 3,210 m)
Badal Danda, meaning "cloud hill", is a small stop about an hour above Low Camp, right at the edge of the treeline. It has only a few lodges, which gives it a quieter, more remote feel than Low Camp or High Camp. The ridge-top position offers wide views when the clouds clear, and it is often the place where you watch clouds rise from the valleys below. Our 9-day and 7-day itineraries often stay here after the Base Camp hike. See Badal Danda: the cloud hill.
High Camp (3,580 m)
High Camp is the highest overnight stop and the base for the pre-dawn hike to Mardi Himal Base Camp. It has several lodges clustered on the ridge, with close-up views of Machapuchare, Mardi Himal and the peaks to the west. The atmosphere in the evening is special: trekkers gather in the dining rooms, warming up by the stove and talking about the next morning's hike.
Facilities here are the most basic on the trek. Toilets are shared and may use buckets when pipes freeze. Showers are rarely practical in cold weather. Charging depends on solar power and may be limited. Mobile signal is inconsistent. Nights are cold, often well below freezing. In peak season, High Camp lodges fill quickly, and late arrivals may sleep in the dining room. See our complete High Camp guide.
Above High Camp
There are no lodges above High Camp. The Upper View Point and Mardi Himal Base Camp are visited on a day hike, so you need to carry water, snacks and warm layers. In some seasons a small seasonal stall may sell drinks near the viewpoint, but you should not rely on it.
Siding and the Descent
On the descent, most itineraries go straight from Badal Danda or Low Camp to Siding in one day. Siding has a few simple lodges and homestays, useful if you arrive late or want to spend a night in a traditional Gurung village before returning to Pokhara. See Siding village guide and homestays near the trail.
A Night in a High Camp Lodge
A night at High Camp captures the essence of tea house life. You arrive around lunchtime, drop your bag in a small twin room with thin walls and a window facing the peaks, and head straight to the dining room for hot tea. The afternoon passes slowly: resting, walking a few minutes up the ridge to acclimatize, watching clouds swirl around Machapuchare. As the sun sets, trekkers gather outside to watch the light fade, then retreat into the dining room as the temperature plunges.
By 6 p.m., the stove is lit and the room is full: trekkers from several countries, guides chatting in Nepali, porters drinking tea in the kitchen. Dinner arrives in waves, usually dal bhat and soup. Conversation turns to the next morning's start time and whether the sky will be clear. By 8:30, people drift off to bed with hot water bottles and headlamps, and the lodge falls silent except for the wind. It is basic, cold and crowded, and most trekkers remember it as one of the best nights of the trip.
What's in a Typical Room
A standard room on the Mardi Himal route has two single beds with foam mattresses, pillows and blankets, a small table or shelf, a few hooks and a single light. Walls are often plywood, so you will hear neighbours. Windows let in plenty of light but also cold, and curtains may be thin. Some lower lodges have attached bathrooms; higher up, toilets are shared in a separate block. Sockets in rooms are rare above Pitam Deurali, so charging usually happens in the dining room. Bring earplugs, a headlamp and a sleeping bag, and you will be comfortable.
Tea Houses Through the Seasons
In autumn, especially October, lodges are busy and lively, and High Camp may be full. In winter, lodges are quiet and cosy, but very cold, and a few may close during severe spells. In spring, lodges are moderately busy, with warmer nights and gardens in bloom lower down. In the monsoon, many lodges are almost empty, owners have plenty of time to chat, and drying wet clothes becomes the main challenge. Whatever the season, your guide will know which lodges are open and which offer the best welcome.
Costs and What Our Packages Include
If you trek independently, you pay for your room and each meal separately, with prices rising the higher you go. Extras such as hot showers, charging, Wi-Fi, snacks and bottled drinks cost more. On our packages, tea house accommodation and three meals a day while trekking are included, so you only pay for extras. Read Mardi Himal tea house prices for typical costs.
Tea House Etiquette in Brief
Eat dinner and breakfast at the lodge where you sleep, order meals at the same time as your group, and let the owner know early if you plan an early start. Keep noise down after about 9 p.m. Respect the kitchen, which is often the family's private space. And a warm thank you, dhanyabad, goes a long way. See our full guide to tea house etiquette.
Comparing the Stops
| Stop | Lodges | Best for | Night temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitam Deurali | Several | Comfortable first night, facilities | Mild to cool |
| Forest Camp | A handful | Forest atmosphere, spring blooms | Cool |
| Low Camp | Several | Sunset over Machapuchare | Cold |
| Badal Danda | A few | Quiet, cloud views | Cold |
| High Camp | Several | Base for Base Camp, sunrise | Very cold |
For help deciding where to sleep, read Low Camp, Badal Danda or High Camp: where should you sleep?
Tips for a Comfortable Night
- Change into dry clothes as soon as you arrive; damp layers make evenings miserable.
- Ask for a room near the dining room, which is often slightly warmer.
- Fill a bottle with boiling water at dinner and take it to bed as a hot water bottle.
- Keep your headlamp, toilet paper and water within reach for night-time trips.
- Charge devices in the afternoon when solar power is strongest, and keep batteries in your sleeping bag overnight.
- Bring earplugs; thin walls, early risers and barking dogs are part of tea house life.
- Order breakfast the night before, especially before the Base Camp hike, so the kitchen can prepare it in time.
- Pack your bag in the evening so early mornings are calm rather than rushed.
- Thank your hosts before you leave; a warm goodbye matters to families who work long hours through the season.
Booking and Busy Seasons
For most of the year you can arrive and find a room. In October, November and April, High Camp and Low Camp can fill up, so guides reserve rooms ahead. If you trek independently in peak season, start early to arrive before the afternoon rush. See booking tea houses in peak season.
Stay with Us
On our Mardi Himal treks, your guide books well-run lodges along the route and knows the families who run them. Accommodation and three meals a day are included while trekking. See the stops on the 5-day Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara and the 9-day trek from Kathmandu, or contact us to plan your overnight stops.